Empowering advocacy: Pakistan rights group hosts orientation on Human Rights Documentation

The project, titled "Human Rights Documentation, Fact Findings, and Advocacy for the Marginalized," aims to promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Pakistan, read an official statement.

The project was launched through an orientation session held on January 18 at Vision Hall in Faisalabad with the Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) Network. The session brought together human rights defenders, community leaders, and civil society representatives to discuss the project's objectives, strategies, and expected outcomes.

The theme of the meeting was to brainstorm on the activities of "Human Rights Documentation, Fact Findings and Advocacy for the Marginalized," and the responsibilities and interventions of each for the best outcomes.

Sharing experiences, discussing the challenges and mitigating during the implementation of project activities was also a part of the meeting, as per the statement.

HRFP and TFD with HRDs Network plan monthly meetings to address such challenges, share case updates, and monitor progress in assistance and justice. The regular meetings also aimed to offer legal support, meet basic needs, and strengthen advocacy efforts for the cases to be considered.

While the issues requiring a deeper investigation will go through the fact-finding missions before a decision to help them with the involvement of the volunteers' teams, staff, and networks. The capacity building and awareness sessions will also be a part of the activities, the statement said.

Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), emphasised that HRFP with TFD project activities will be implemented in Pakistan's target areas while the district Faisalabad will be the base of all activities as HRFP main office located there.

Naveed Walter said the HRD's Network meetings will carry out activities to ensure that the planned results were achieved through the formulation of strategies. He said the meetings of HRD's Network representing multi-stakeholders of the society from target areas including community leaders, civil society, social activists, teachers, lawyers, women, political workers and youth will lead the activities as the objectives of the project will be imparted in each HRDs Network meeting, as per the statement.

Naveed Walter said the HRD's Network, including volunteers and stakeholders, will improve the working methodology and interventions of the Project. Also, the issues of individuals and groups of human rights violations and setting strategies of implementing democratic values, which could also help in achieving the UN Agenda 2030 through accomplishments of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), will be discussed in each activity and HRDs meetings.

Naveed Walter said that fact-finding teams of human rights defenders will be formed to visit and document different designated areas and where they are needed most to report and action. The

HRDs Advocacy Group will also be formed to collect & compile the documentation and meetings with decision-makers, local authorities, and government officials to resolve and raise each issue/case, he added.

Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that the project intended the advancement human rights, democracy and the rule of law and to ensure basic rights, protect victims from abuses, stand up against violations, for freedom of speech and expression, for practice of religious freedom, for appreciation of choices, inequality of opportunities, to accesses the education, in a healthy environment, for accountability of authorities and other humans' basic needs should be ensured, he added.

HRDs including Nusrat Samuel, Manzoor Anthony, Shahid Anjum, John Victor, Naseem Haroon, Ejaz Ghauri, Sadaf Shadman, Nida Naeem, James Lal, Sohail Emmanuel and others said, we must work together and make the platform essential for the healthy discussions and striving for the issues addressed with HRFP and TFD support. While, the violations of human rights, undemocratic norms within the political parties and culture of "dictatorships" are destroying democracy and the rule of law, should be condemned, the statement quoted participants as saying.

HRFP Program Coordinator Shadman John and Field Coordinator Hamdosh Samuel shared that Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) in the light of its vision for the protection and promotion, of the rights of the religious minorities functioning "REAT Helpline (24/7)" at the HRFP office having a toll-free number (0800-0-9494) at district Faisalabad since 2013.

As the REAT Helpline receives thousands of complaints/calls a year, and in 2024 itself, the REAT Helpline received 1198 phone calls of human rights violations particularly the issues of religion and beliefs, and the issues of undemocratic raises, were the most recorded.

The REAT is related to Articles 18 to 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and as the REAT (Rights of Expression, Assembly, Association and Thought, including freedom of religion) receives a claim of infringement through the REAT Helpline, the Help Desk addresses it with an adequate response. (ANI)